Method of processing vegetable fibers



July 2, 1946. 0; BEST METHOD OF PROCESSING VEGETABLE FIBERS Filed Aug. 26, .1943

' RETTING TANKS THRESHING MACH, I I

DE HEADER DRYER FLUFFING mxca SCUTCl-HNG MACH,

C-HARLES: 0; BEST INEVE IOR ATFORNEY Patented July 2, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

METHOD OF PROCESSING VEGETABLE FIBERS Charles D. Best, Portland, (ireg. Application August 26, 1943, Serial No. 500,115

This invention relates to methods of processparticularly flax, ramie,

handled separately, will produce a high quality" spinnable product.

In the separate processing of the stalks and tops, a more complete recovery of the long fiber product is made in the scutching machines, due to the absence of thetangled heads which heretofore interi'ered with the scutching and comb ingoperation. Heretofore, when the long fibers, heads and tops were left in a single unit, the scutching machine operation carried oil a percentage of long fibers while removingthe heads or tops. Ihave found that better results are obtained Iromthescutching of thestalksifthe heads are not passed through the. scutching machine.

With my method of separately processing the stalksandheadsJrecoverahiahgradespinnable productirorntheheadsbyrunningthemthrough a fiufiing machine, and I also recover spinnable materlalifromthetowremainingai'terthescutchinsofthestalks.

Theheadsortopscontainagmnwhichmust beranmedbeioreaspinnableflbercanberxoduced. Thegumisremovedhyasuitabledeprom. Theproductisthendrledand runthroughastandardpickenthmbaledready forthes dnnimmills.

Theobjectotmyimpruvedmethodistoreduce waste in the of the plants and toohtainagreoterpucmtageofspinnahlepmductifromtheheadsasweliasfmmthestalks.

Anotherobiectofmimrrovedmethodisto facilitate the of the stalks and the hadssottntmoredlhaenthandlingandpmcesingoibothcanbeobtained.

Ihave foundthatthespinnableproductob tambletrmn the heads d the plants is quite diilermtiruntlntobtainablefrmnthestalksflt isshorteramlflnenrequlresdifiermt,

andhitheshouldnotbemimedwithvthelonger-fillersfromtlrlestalks. Heretotoreacon- 1 Claim. (CI. 19-1) 2 tainable from the heads has'been wasted, and the small amount which has not been wasted has been mixed with the longer stalk fibers. I have found, however, that the short fine fibers obtainable from the heads alone are valuable in themselves and have many uses without being combined with the stalk fibers.

I. have illustrated my method and process in the atical drawing accomp nyin this 10 specification, wherein a deheadlng machine is indicated at 'L This machine has a suitable de vice 2 for cutting the heads ll'i'rom the stalks 3. The stalks 3 are then delivered to a binding machine l for adding anotherband i therearouud.

1s The purpose of this extra bond is to hold the stalks in a well assembled bundle. The stalks 3 are then placed in the retting tanks 6. The rettingtanksareofanywellknowntypeofdesign, and the retting of the stalks maybe handled 20 inmuchthesamemannerasisthecustom. From theretting'tanksthestalksareputthrougha wringer machine I, which removes surplus moisture, although this separate wringing device may bedispensedwith. Thestalksarethenput 25througha'dryerl.ortheymaybeshockedin thefieldiordryinginthemualmanner.

Whenthestalkshavebeendrled,theyareput throughaecutchingmachine Iotanywellknown design. Theflberisthencomhedhythismaaochineintheusualmannerexceptthatthemachinecandoaveryeifectivejobontheselong fibersbecausetheheadsandtangledtopshave beenrunomtherebywastewillbegreatbreducedandamuchbettergradeoflongflberwill 35 betheresnltduetotheabsenceottangledheads which heretofore interfered with the combing operation. Thiscompletestheprocssingofthe longflhu'.

Iwillnowdescrlbethepoftheheads oi-tom. Theheldsllaretakmi'rtlnthedeheoderandplacedinthefeeder lloi'astandard thrahingmachine l2,wheretlmseeds areremoved, theheads aretakenbysritablemeons frmnthethreshingmchinetotherettingtanks i. Thecanposiflmofthebocterhorfllemieals usedinthlstankmayhethesmeasmedtor thestalksormaybeoiadlficrmt is used itwill be necessary to subject the headstoakmerperiodofrettlngthantheshlks. Ho-evee-b amaumtmunutne preferably in a dryer 8, and then delivered into a fiufling machine 13, where the shives are. removed from the fiber.

The next step is to degum the fiber obtained from the fiufiing machine, which is a process of removing gummy material from the fibers, after which they are dried, then picked and baled. It is now classed as a number one spinna'ble fiber. Finally the tow which remains after the 4 The term fiumng machine, as used in this specification, is intended to include any machine capable of imparting rapid bending and shaking motions to short lengths of dried fibers for the 5 purpose of breaking and shaking loose the shives and particles of straw, etc.', from the fibers.

What I claim is: The method of obtaining an increased amount of spinnable fibers from plants, which method comprises completely severing the heads from the stalks, subjecting the stalks to the usual treatment for obtaining fiber therefrom including the passing of the stalks through a scutching machine, collecting the tow remaining from the stalks after the long-fibers have been removed from the stalks in the scutching machine, subjecting the heads to a threshing operation to remove the seeds, retting the heads, drying the retted heads, passing the heads through a fluffscutching of the stal s in e Scutching machine ing machine," passing the tow remaining from the in the processing of the long fibers is run through the fiuifing machine, and any fibers recoverable from this tow are mixed with the short fibers obtained from the heads. Heretofore, this tow was generally considered not worth further processing and therefore wasted. I have found that this tow, like the heads, has considerable recoverable fiber.

chine.

CHARLES D. BEST. 

